I know there are a lot of Mobley skeptics, but the way he finished that game showed the kind of skills and potential he has. There are not that many guys in the league that can score and pass like that. You combine 1) a decent rookie year as a starting NBA point guard; 2) improved second year numbers off the bench, and; 3) flashes of being a dominant playmaker like yesterday, you have a guy with a lot of value. Man would a team like GS or Toronto or Orlando, off the top of my head, do for a guy like that. I don't bring this up because I want to trade him, or don't like him, etc. I bring this up because the guy, though learning and making mistakes, can ball. But we also have Stevie, who is even better and more talented similar player, SA who is a great complimentary shooting guard, and a future backup 1 (maybe he can play a little 2 also) who is promising enough at the mean time to see what he can do (Drew). Couple the above (Mobley's value/wealth of young guards), with our relatively weak forward positions (especially in terms of youth), and I want to look at options. I want to talk with Toronto about McGrady. This is the guy I most want (Da Man I have been following him a little closer and he is doing a lot, and about the only Raptor getting blocks), and would even offer a little bit more than Mobley, but not that much more (maybe KT or Drew also). I would talk to GS about Jamison, or Portland about Grant (throwing in Walt or Bull or maybe KT, but again not much more if any). I think a lot of these teams would really want this guy. There are not that many young guards out there with Mobley’s current skill and potential, e.g. his quickness and ball handling make him have more potential than MD (he already is comparable skill), he currently has more skill than Hughes (though maybe not the potential), and he has more potential and is already better than Wells. We can also involve Orlando, as they have a lot of picks (including GS's next year, though I doubt they would give up that one) and might want to get in a 3-way. On the other hand, if these team don't want to deal so be it. I have no problem at all keeping Mobley on our team as a 3rd guard or going with an occasionally small line-up for years to come. I personally like the kids emotion and confidence, and think he will only get better with experience. We can lock him up and see what we can get for Drew (admittedly less, but maybe we can get a late first rounder or something). As the Pistons found in the late 80’s, there were enough minutes to keep 3 outstanding and versatile guards happy without too much of a problem. We are in a win-win situation, and teams should come to us.
I WOULD DEFINETLY NOT trade mobley. He and francis r very good friends, and u dont want to make our star player mad. Yah i might trade one of our 1st round picks (we have detroits) and another player maybe walt or carlos rogers for jamison. I might wait for free agency on grant. he proly will leave. id try to sign grant or mo taylor otherwise i might try to keep this team intact. Im not sure about Mcgrady. yes hes a phenomenel talent with lots of potential. but theres that word potential. as john thompson said "potential gets coaches fired" i personally like walt and he has played alot better lately giving us a consistent scoring threat, so i might keep him actually. ------------------ --TEX
I've made my thoughts known concerning Mobley often enough. All I want to add here is that I'm so thrilled he finally produced in the clutch for us this season. He did it last season a couple times, but this is the first time this year that his teammates swarmed him. Kapaayaaa....the more clutch performances he gets under his belt, the more helpful he can be to Steve....cause many times the 4th q defense will not allow Steve to win it. Someone else who can create off the dribble will have to step up. Kapaayaa!! well done Mobes.
Great topic Sir Scarvajal, because man this is tough for me. As all of you know, I have been in favor of trading Mobley all along. Not because I don't think he is a good player, but because I think we should spread out the lineup and take out from an overflowing surplus of talent in the backcourt to shore up a weak frontcourt. However...... Damn, I did not know Mobley was that good. He made all the right plays down the stretch (feeds to Cato) and hit timely jumpers. Watching him ISO around Bryant was beautiful. Add that to his friendship with Steve Francis, and I don't know. McGrady is obviously the greater talent, but why mess with something you know works? They are good friends and are developing great chemistry together. Then, on the other hand you wonder where great guards like Shandon Anderson and Bryce Drew fit in. Bob Costas and Doug Collins really hyped the duo up as well. "Mobley and Francis. They have two exciting guards who they can build around. Wow, what a future these two will have together." "Wow, these young new Rockets really are fun to watch." (said something like this about 20 times.) Man, I would hate to be in Rudy's spot right now, 'cuz you know every GM must be calling him for Drew and Mobley. Hell, after yesterday, I don't want to trade even Walt. (well, maybe... ) [This message has been edited by thacabbage (edited January 31, 2000).]
Lets dump Drew, Walt and a pick if neccessary for a good post up forward, I think that would really help solidify this team. We already have Shandon and Mobes on the two and Mobley can back up the one for a couple of minutes when Francis needs a breather. We also have some players that can cover the 3. I would like to get Jamison or Duncan(not likely) or maybe T-Mac and draft another forward. Anyway lets hang on to the dynamic duo of Cat and the Franchise.
First of all, Mobley is in the range of near untouchable. Mobley will not be given away just for anybody, the only reason Mobley would be traded is if there is a really really good deal out there. Francis, Mobley, and Anderson are a super super tandem at the guard positions. All three of them are excellent defenders. Mobley and Francis are scoring machines. All three of them are excellent passers. Also all of them give the rockets a huge presence at the rebounding side of the game. Already, you see that teams are going to double and triple team Francis. Then, if this happens, dish the ball off to Mobley to attack from the other side. Mobley can break down the defense ala steve; and he can score or make a magnificent pass. Mobley will also give you confidence and some clutch shooting. This Rocket team looks very complete the way it is. All I say that is needed are some key veterans via trades or free agency. The core is solid with Anderson, francis, mobley, Cato, rogers, drew, and thomas. Trading mobley might set the rockets back years if the deal is botched. Look at the denvers, Dallas, clippers, and other cellar dwellers.
Now I'm probally way off on this and I'm sure someone will set me straight. Why do we have to trade anyone, if the group of kids are fitting togather and playing well. Could we leave it alone to take its course? Next year the salary cap is shot anyway by Hakeems salary and he deserves to retire a Rocket for what he has done in the past. So lets go to the draft and see what works out with the players we have. If a trade is made it would be for someone wanting big money at the end of this season or gone to free agency.. I read where Francis, Mobley, and Anderson played the same positions. Why can't Anderson play small forward?
"Francis, Mobley, and Anderson are a super super tandem at the guard positions. All three of them are excellent defenders." Um..Anderson is an excellent defender. Francis is playing rather pedestrian like defense for most of the year. Mobley is slight above average on the defensive end. You should always look to improve a team no matter what. Sure, when you have promising young players you think they'll be a foundation for a future championship. But lot's of teams had a core of promising young players that never managed to take the next step together.
I think that all this team lacks is one (1) dominant front court player, who can rebound/intimidate. If we could pull down a guy like Mcgrady or Rasheed Wallace, I think we would have an extraordinary team. Imagine: Drew/Francis Mobes/Shandon Anderson Rogers/Mcgrady Pig/KT Cato/Dream or "" "" Williams or Bullard/Rogers KT/Wallace "" We could afford to give up our (2) picks + T-Mass + Bullard/Williams to get any of those 2
EJ, Francis, Mobley and Anderson are often on the floor together. I think that works well, especially when Cato is doing well. I wouldn't worry too much about not having a "true" small forward.
It says in the chronical today that Portland is shopping Brian Grant. I love Brian Grant. Maybe the Trailblazers would like Cat, Walt, and Pig.
Brian Grant is a great player but he is not fully back to healthy and I dont want to trade with portland.
Well, since GM's in this league are blind, foolish, and uninformed, we should go for the money while we're at it... I think it would be quite affordable to trade TMass, a 1st-rounder, and a ballboy for Tim Duncan... Seriously guys, teams know the value of their players... Brian Grant, McGrady, etc. for Drew and Wizard sounds great, but why would you do that if you weren't a Houstonian...? ------------------ "There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and STATISTICS..." - Mark Twain -
No where is it written that a dominate defensive center/powerforward has to also be a major part of the offense. Look at the way Pig has been set up by Francis and Mobley. Geez, if he had put 2/3 of those easy layups in , the guy would have averaged 20+ during the 6 game run. Now, as to Mobley, there is no reason to trade him, he is a true RAW talent with tremendous upside. Hey, in 2 years his stock could be so high that he'd command 3 1's. If not, he's a solid gun slinger who will become more stable and rational about the ball and what happens next. ( I am assuming age helps here.) Cato can definatley be THE shot blocker in the league, plus 12-16 points a night. Notice how his foul shots are coming around ? That's critical. Massenburg, added to Drew and ( Bullard,Williams,Pig,Joe Blow from KooKooMoo), can bring in a decent pick for PWFW. Anderson is fine, Rogers is a find, a real team player with a BIG heart. Hakeem maybe adds another year ? And of course the Franchise. This is a good team.
Sounds like many of us are now thinking less of trading ANY of the young Rockets. I AGREE. I only want to stress that Carlos Rogers definitely should be kept. Just like Francis, Cat, and Shandon are a great tandem along the perimeter, these three post players complement each other and play with explosive energy. And Rogers really impressed the hell out of me before the thumb injury. He cuts just as well as Cato, even better, when Mobley or Francis are driving. And he showed a tenaciousness on the boards. And he had a good outside shot, though not as good as KT's. As far as good veteran leadership, or even stability, I think the Dream is doing awesome in that role. With either Cato or Dream, the lane stays plugged. This gives greater confidence to the young players on the perimeter. And he takes alot of pressure off of Steve.
You guys are failing to understand what Sir Scarvajal is saying. No doubt Drew and Mobley are playing excellent ball and thriving in this offense. No doubt this is a very exciting team, and Pig Miller has been able to hold fort upfront. He isn't arguing those points. What he (I as well) am/are saying is that as these guards continue to develop and become more productive, we just won't have enough room/playing time for all 4 of them. There is playing time to satisfy 3 great guards, but not for 4....someone's gonna be left unhappy. So, instead of letting that great young talent rot away on the pine, we should swap it for some frontcourt talent where there isnt as much as a logjam. We dont want to trade Mobley/Drew because they or bad/or we dont like them. It's because there just isnt enough time for all of them.
I may have missed something, but since when has Bryce Drew become "great". I love his game as much as the next guy but he has been way too inconsistent. Which is understandable since he played VERY limited minutes in a shortened rookie season, and asides for a stretch where Francis was injured, he continues to see limited minutes that do not give him a good opportunity for us to see his potential. However, he still has a long way to go, and for some reason I feel a lot less confident and comfortable when he is running the point, though I must give him credit for his game on Sunday. But the only way we can call this guy "great" right now is if we do the same for Chucky Atkins and Anthony Carter -- who have played just as good. Azim da Dream ------------------ No guts, no glory, no brain, same story. [This message has been edited by Azim da Dream (edited February 01, 2000).]
I'd like to keep Francis and Mobley as well as Anderson. Those three are definite keepers at the guard spots. Bryce is probably the weakest of the guards. Now, Carlos Rogers, I think when he regains health, can be a SOLID and exciting 3 for us. Perhaps when we think of trades, we're thinking too much of the immediate. Our players too have the potential to be a strong Team in the coming years. Oh, but this Tracy McGrady kid,..he's phenomenal.. I'd have to agree he's got talent like Garnett. The Lean, tall, thin, quick- moving, ball-handling, shot-blocking, dunk-machine that might remind you of a Velociraptor from Jurassic Park. Well, Hmm.. I don't know exactly the point I made..but.. I'd like to get McGrady for one of our older guys..probably Tmass, and Walt, if anyone wants them.. god,..could you guys imagine throwing mcgrady into the mix with francis and Mobley.. yikes! "Watch out league!" -elie#17
